When Kate’s idea to prank her husband during a late-night drive instead causes him to panic, the joke takes a dark turn. As minutes tick by and Greg goes missing, Kate’s harmless prank spirals into a tense search, leaving her wondering if she’s gone too far.

The clock on the dashboard blinked 2:17 AM as we cruised down the empty highway. My husband Greg was behind the wheel, his eyes locked on the road ahead. Me? I was sprawled out in the backseat, fighting to keep my eyes open.

“You still awake back there, Kate?” Greg’s voice drifted back to me.

I mumbled a ‘yes.’ We’d been on the road for hours, making our way back home after visiting my folks. Seven hundred miles is a long haul, even for road trip junkies like us.

Greg chuckled. “Hang in there, sleepyhead. We’ve got another pit stop coming up soon.”

I forced my eyes open and saw a sign for a gas station about a mile ahead.

Thank God. I needed to stretch my legs and maybe grab a snack to keep me going.

As we pulled into the station, I noticed how deserted it looked. The flickering fluorescent lights cast an eerie glow over the empty lot. Greg parked next to one of the pumps and killed the engine.

“I’m gonna grab some snacks,” he said, unbuckling his seatbelt. “You want anything?”

I yawned and shook my head. “Nah, I’m good. Just gonna use the restroom.”

Greg nodded and headed inside. I watched him disappear into the store, then climbed out of the car to stretch. As I did, a wicked idea popped into my head. Maybe it was the late hour or the monotony of the drive, but suddenly, I felt like stirring up some trouble.

I glanced at the trunk of our car and grinned. It was perfect. Quick as a flash, I popped it open and climbed inside, pulling it closed behind me.

I could already picture Greg’s face when he realized I was “missing.”

I heard Greg’s footsteps approach the car a few minutes later. The driver’s door opened and closed, and the engine rumbled to life. We started moving, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud.

We drove for what felt like forever. I was starting to wonder if Greg would ever notice I wasn’t in the backseat when suddenly, the car screeched to a halt.

“KAAAAATE!” Greg yelled.

I clapped a hand over my mouth to muffle my giggles. Oh man, he was freaking out! I imagined him twisting around in his seat, searching the empty backseat with wide eyes. Any second now, he’d figure it out, and I’d pop out of the trunk with a triumphant “Gotcha!”

But the seconds ticked by, and Greg didn’t open the trunk. Instead, I felt the car lurch into motion again, tires squealing as we did a quick U-turn.

Eventually, the car skidded to a stop

I heard Greg’s door fly open and his footsteps pounding the pavement. I waited, expecting to hear Greg come back any second, but he didn’t.

Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Then thirty. My heart started to race. Where the heck was Greg? This wasn’t funny anymore.

After an hour of lying in the trunk, I pushed open the trunk and climbed out, wincing as my stiff muscles protested.

The gas station lot was empty. No Greg.

I sprinted towards the gas station store. The bell above the door jingled as I burst in, startling the sleepy-looking guy behind the counter.

“Have you seen my husband?” I gasped, barely able to catch my breath. “Tall guy, brown hair, probably looked really freaked out?”

The clerk’s eyes widened. “Oh yeah, him! He was in here about an hour ago, asking about some woman in a pink tracksuit.” He paused, looking at my outfit. “I’m guessing that’s you?”

I nodded, my stomach dropping. “What did you tell him?”

The clerk shifted uncomfortably. “Well, he seemed real worried, so I told him what he wanted to hear. Said I saw a woman matching that description wandering towards the lake down the road.”

“You WHAT?” I screeched, making the poor guy flinch. “Why would you say that?”

He held up his hands defensively. “Look, lady, the guy was practically in tears. Said something about his wife sleepwalking. I figured if it calmed him down…”

I didn’t wait to hear the rest. I was already out the door, running full tilt towards the lake. My mind was racing faster than my feet. Sleepwalking? Greg must’ve thought I’d gotten out of the car in my sleep and wandered off.

And now he was out there looking for me, probably thinking I’d drowned or something.

The lake came into view, its dark water eerily still in the pre-dawn light. That’s when I saw them – Greg’s shoes, wallet, and watch, all lined up neatly on the shore.

“No, no, no,” I muttered, my eyes scanning the water. “GREG!” I shouted, my voice echoing across the lake. “GREG, WHERE ARE YOU?”

Without thinking, I plunged into the icy water. It was like a thousand needles pricking my skin, but I didn’t care. I swam out, diving under the surface again and again, desperately searching for any sign of my husband.

“GREG!” I screamed again, choking on water. “Please, Greg, answer me!”

“Kate?”

I whirled around so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash.

There, standing on the shore, was Greg. He was completely dry, a bewildered look on his face.

“Greg?” I spluttered, not sure if I was seeing things. “What… how…”

And then I saw it. The hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. The mischievous glint in his eye. It all clicked into place.

“You… you…” I was so mad I could barely form words. I sloshed my way back to shore, dripping and shivering. “You knew?”

Greg’s composure cracked, and he burst out laughing. “I saw you climb into the trunk at the gas station,” he admitted between chuckles. “Thought I’d give you a taste of your own medicine.”

“So you… what? Set this whole thing up?”

Greg nodded, still grinning. “Got the gas station guy to play along. Figured I’d let you stew in the trunk for a while, then make you think I’d gone looking for you in the lake.”

I opened my mouth, ready to tear into him for scaring me half to death.

Then, I saw my reflection in the lake. I looked like a drowned rat, and the absurdity of the situation hit me like a tidal wave. Before I knew it, I was howling with laughter. Greg joined in, and soon we were both doubled over, tears streaming down our faces.

“I can’t believe,” I wheezed between giggles, “that you saw me get in the trunk.”

Greg wiped his eyes, still chuckling. “I can’t believe you jumped in the lake to save me.”

“Hey,” I said, giving him a playful shove, “I thought you were drowning, you jerk.”

He pulled me into a hug, not seeming to care that I was soaking wet. “And I love you for it,” he said, kissing the top of my head.

We stood there for a moment, both catching our breath. The sky was starting to lighten, the first hints of dawn peeking over the horizon.

“We should probably head home,” Greg said finally. “We’ve still got a long drive ahead of us.”

I nodded, suddenly feeling the weight of exhaustion. “Yeah, let’s go. But I’m driving this time. I don’t trust you not to pull any more stunts.”

Greg held up his hands in mock surrender. “Fair enough. But admit it: I totally won this round of the prank war.”

I scoffed as we started walking back to the car. “Oh please. If I hadn’t started it, you wouldn’t have had the chance to one-up me. I’d say it’s a draw at best.”

We bickered good-naturedly all the way back to the gas station. The clerk looked relieved to see us both in one piece, if a bit confused by my drenched state.

As we pulled out of the station, the sun finally crested the horizon, bathing everything in a warm, golden light. I glanced over at Greg, who was already nodding off in the passenger seat.

“Hey,” I said softly.

He cracked open one eye. “Hmm?”

“Let’s agree to retire the prank war, okay? At least until the next road trip.”

Greg smiled sleepily. “Deal. But I still say I won.”

I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help smiling too. “Keep dreaming, buddy.”

As we drove off into the sunrise, I couldn’t help but feel grateful. Sure, we might be a little crazy, and our sense of humor might be a bit twisted. But at the end of the day, there’s no one else I’d rather be on this wild ride with than Greg.

Here’s another story: A woman hits her breaking point when, after carrying the financial burden for years, her boyfriend buys a boat instead of helping with the bills. Already neck-deep in debt and facing a pay cut, she plans a surprise that’ll change everything. Click here to read more.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.